1 Oneshot, 2 Oneshots, 3 OneShots, More
by Mortal Guardian
Summary: A series of one-shots by me.
1. Christmas 2010

There were twelve days remaining until Christmas. Throughout Jump City the weather was frightful. But if you were a resident living within a reasonable distance of the mall you might be there, either able to report to work or to shop. If you were a titan, chances are you would have no trouble getting there if you needed to be, even in such snowy conditions.

Two such titans were Raven and Beast Boy, under cover, wearing holorings designed by Cyborg, there under civilian names Rachel Roth and Garfield Logan. They were the last with shopping unfinished. The others, Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire, had completed theirs already. Raven had yet to buy something for Starfire and Beast Boy had yet to find something for Raven. Even though she listed a few choice ideas, he wanted it to be something personal.

Beast Boy and Raven had been dating since the end of the summer. The titans had long since destroyed her father Trigon and exiled to places unknown the Brotherhood of Evil. Wherever Slade was, whatever he was preparing, he has not surfaced in some time. The titans were enjoying a long deserved break from crime-fighting.

In spite of the weather, many managed to make it to the mall. Raven, as usual, was not a fan of crowds, but thanks to the holorings she was as anonymous as the rest. No fans to hound her or her boyfriend.

A couple of years after coming to Earth and being with the titans she started celebrating Christmas, at least beginning with the eager insistence of Beast Boy and Starfire. She warmed up to helping with the tower's décor and gift exchange, and eventually to watching Christmas specials. Once their popularity with the public grew they participated in charitable events and at times, including Christmas, invited orphans, much like they themselves are, to the tower for a day. These sort of events somehow lifted Raven's spirits seeing, as well as sensing, the happiness of those the titans helped, more so than ever since the burden of suppressing her emotions had been lifted.

But recently something in her changed. While externally looking happy about the things the titans did together and for the public, inside something about Christmas seemed lacking, and up to now she had kept silent about it. Here at the mall with her boyfriend she decided to confide in him how she felt.

"Gar?" she asked as they walked side by side.

"Yes?"

"Is this all there is to Christmas?"

Beast Boy stopped, as did Raven.

"What?" he asked, puzzled by her question.

"We've done the same thing each year since forming the titans, sort of forming a tradition like everyone else who celebrates Christmas. That's been great and everything, but is that all Christmas is about?"

Taking her hands in his, for her he smiled, not smugly but rather a gentle, loving smile. "Of course not, Rachel. But what say we hold that thought until after we've finished here, okay?"

After a moment, with a single nod she replied, "Sure." And with that Beast Boy went his way to find something for his girlfriend while Raven went after something for Starfire.

Beast Boy was about to bypass a shop when something in its window display caught his attention. He considered the ensemble before a great idea came to him, one that would complete his gift search. Additionally, the set inspired him with a way to answer Raven's question about Christmas.

In a corner out of the public's eye, so as to remain anonymous when he pulled out his communicator, Beast Boy contacted Cyborg. "Cy, can you rig my communicator to hack into the mall's PA system?"

"Uh, what for, B?" asked his metal amigo.

"Rae's feeling conflicted about Christmas. I just wanted to share something with her, something I hope the public likes, too. Please, Cy?"

After a pause Cyborg agreed, sensing in his best friend's voice a genuine request and not an idea for some juvenile prank.

Beast Boy headed for the three story mall's central thoroughfare on the main level where there were a grand fountain - currently disabled and drained to sport the mall's Christmas décor, including a mock miniature workshop where sat a jolly old man in a red suit waiting to hear children's gift requests for Christmas; a clock and escalators to and from each level. There he waited for Raven by the fountain.

_Beast Boy, where are you?_

Raven was contacting him via a mental link.

_At the fountain, Rae. Come on over, I have something to tell you._

When Beast Boy spotted her, shopping bag in hand, meaning she did find something for Starfire, he agilely mounted the fountain display without transforming and sneakily turned on his communicator. Over the PA system Beast Boy heard his own voice.

"Everyone, may I have your attention, please? And for those of you wondering where I'm speaking from, I'm at the fountain on the main floor."

He paused while many in the vicinity looked his way, including patrons and workers peering from nearby shops.

"I was asked a question a while ago by my girlfriend about Christmas. I would like to share with her what it means." He took a moment and cleared his throat. _"And there were, in the same country, shepherds, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night when lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the Glory of the Lord showed 'round about them. And they were so afraid. The angel said unto them, 'Fear not. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising GOD, saying, 'Glory to GOD in the Highest. And on Earth, peace. Good will toward men.'"_

Following that he received cheers and applause from scores of shoppers and workers. Beast Boy turned off his communicator before dismounting the display. Then he walked up to Raven.

"Gar, that was… that was…" She wanted to tell him how captivating his monologue was, but found herself unable to get out the words.

Beast Boy simply placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "No, Rachel. That _is_ what Christmas is all about. Ready to go, now?"

Snapping out of her daze Raven realized her boyfriend was still empty-handed. "What about you? You still haven't found anything, yet?"

"Don't worry I know just what to get. I'll have it by Christmas."

Then hand in hand they left the mall to return to Titans Tower.

* * *

Christmas Day had arrived. In the days leading up to it the titans held their traditional festivities. For Raven, she took time to reflect on Beast Boy's speech from the mall and it gave her a new perception of the holiday. She felt he had somehow given her a gift, and she was grateful for that gift, as much as she was for him being a part of her life.

Minor threats where the team was called in for were swiftly dealt with so that the titans could carry on with their holiday celebration.

Beast Boy seemed rather busy during the remaining days, to the others' bafflement. They would seem him from time to time, coming around with a few extra bags, but he kept much to himself, saying they had to do with his last gift. He would say nothing of their contents.

The gift giving commenced, with Cyborg acting as Santa Claus and handing out the presents. Everyone received great gifts. But Beast Boy had yet to present his for Raven. He had asked Cyborg to leave it over by the Christmas tree as the last gift, covered on a small table.

Beast Boy invited them all over to it. "Merry Christmas, Raven," he said before lifting the cover.

For them all, but more so for Raven, it was the most incredible display. It was not some customary Nativity scene, but one rather unique.

"I made it myself," confessed Beast Boy.

The figures were not of Joseph and Mary and a Baby Jesus, but of the titans themselves, including a few select others, in place of the traditional figures. Beast Boy crafted himself in place of Joseph with Raven as Mary. Their "son" was a pale, grey-green infant with more streaks of purple than green in his hair, although his eyes were a shade of green, set in the manger. Robin, Cyborg, and Speedy were the wise men. Bumblebee, Kole, and Wonder Girl were featured as maids carrying goods-filled baskets. Melvin and Timmy were featured as drummers; Teether was, too, but for a baby he was shown hitting with his hands rather than drumsticks. Atop the stable was Starfire as the angel.

Beast Boy's gift to his girlfriend was extraordinary indeed, and while his friends marveled at his craftsmanship, Raven thanked him for it with her most loving kiss yet.

"Merry Christmas, Beast Boy."

"Marry Christmas, Raven."

* * *

A/N: This one-shot was inspired by the theme of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and the monologue of Linus Van Pelt quoting the Gospel of Luke.


	2. The Joke Is Literally on You

Beast Boy could have hugged or kissed every member of the Justice League. Orders from the Watchtower were, "Take a vacation." While the titans were away, Jump City's criminal activities would be monitored by both the JL and selected honorary titans.

Robin offered two choices for recreation: ski resort or the beach. By unanimous vote the beach won, although to Raven it would not have mattered. She was fine with either option. The chosen vacation spot: Miami, Florida.

So, in preparation they all packed for the trip. Cyborg went a little further to design holorings for himself and three of his teammates, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire, so that the four of them would appear as normal as the rest of the crowds and individuals they would mingle with and not be recognized as the heroes they were famous for being. The titans also deserved a vacation from their fan base. Lucky Robin, all he had to do was ditch the costume. Cyborg assured his friends the rings' effects would be unaffected by saltwater, so they could still be worn should any of the four decide to go swimming.

Once in Miami and checked in to their five individual, stylish rooms at the hotel, the titans decided to finish the first day venturing around the city, looking for clubs and other hot spots.

Two days into their vacation the five could be found on the beach. While Raven elected to refrain from it and read, the other four were engaged in a game of beach Frisbee. Before playing Robin felt it necessary to advise his friends.

"Cyborg, Starfire, the two of you will need to control your strength when throwing the disc. Additionally, Star, when you get excited, try to keep it and your happiness under control so as not to levitate. And Beast Boy, try not to get the urge to turn into any animals in order to catch it. We are trying to keep a low profile, after all."

Each understood and complied, and was able to enjoy a few rounds of the game before venturing off to the water. Beast Boy left Robin and Starfire alone to swim together and Cyborg who took to renting a watercraft. He spent much time swimming here and there, mostly submerged in several of his underwater forms so as to enjoy the subsurface sites. At one point he crossed paths with Aqualad who had just been passing through. They struck up a telepathic conversation before the Atlantean continued onward.

Once he surfaced, Beast Boy went in search of Raven. He passed Robin and Starfire who were presently on their beach towels getting some sun. When he found Raven in a pavilion, Beast Boy learned from her their tin man friend was off getting something to eat. He decided to invite her to swim.

"No thanks, Gar," said Raven, using his civilian name. "Besides, I'm still reading."

"Aw, c'mon, Rae. We're at the beach. The beach is meant for swimming."

Raven corrected his slip up. "Gar, we're on vacation, where my name is Rachel. Also, I don't care to swim."

He apologized about the name before insisting, "But it's the ocean!"

"May I point out we live on an island _in_ the ocean? And I'll say it one more time-"

In a tone that indicated he clearly heard her before, Beast Boy said, "Yeah, yeah, you don't care to swim. But you didn't say you _can't_ swim."

At that Raven lowered her head as if to go back to reading. However she could not hide the slight reaction that indicated his last comment had uncovered an unconfessed secret, and Beast Boy had caught it.

"Uh… you _can_ swim, can't you, Rachel?"

She ducked further behind the book to avoid eye contact.

"Rae?"

She abruptly lowered her book to look at him. "Ra-_chel_!" she stressed. "And no, I _can't_ swim. Are you happy? Go on, go ahead and laugh!"

Beast Boy's face remained serious when he said, "I'm not gonna laugh, Rachel." Then he smiled as an idea came to him. "Why not let me teach you? It'll give me something more to do and you something other than reading. We are here to enjoy ourselves, after all."

From him she sensed his sincerity and realized he had no intention of doing anything to humiliate her if she was to accept. The gesture moved her to appreciate his invitation, but still she declined.

"Maybe later," Raven added. "We still have a few days."

For Beast Boy that was good enough. "Okay then, it's a date."

Raven raised her eyes from the page she had gone back to reading. "Not _that_ kind of date."

The shape-shifter noted that her response did not imply an outright refusal to the possibility of one. He smiled in understanding and said, "Right. But maybe someday…"

She gave a slight tip of her head, a raise of her brow, and a small smile. "Maybe."

Beast Boy parted ways with her, leaving Raven to her book.

His route back to the water took him by Robin and Starfire, still lying on their beach towels. As it was, both were sound asleep, the princess face down and Robin lying face up. Beast Boy spotted between them a bottle of sunscreen. An idea came to him, a prank he could not pass up, even if Robin "kills" him for it.

Beast Boy knelt down and carefully leaned in between them to pick up the bottle. He popped open the lid as quietly as he could, nervous as anyone in a situation where even the quietest sound becomes the loudest noise in the world. Turning the bottle over so that the spout was facing downwards, Beast Boy proceeded to carefully apply a coat of sunscreen to Robin's chest.

Once his work was done, the shape-shifter left the pair, but he would be watching Robin.

* * *

Robin awoke feeling well rested. He looked over and found his girlfriend still asleep. Deciding not to disturb her he stood and looked around, spotting Raven and Cyborg sitting in a pavilion, she reading the same book from earlier and Cyborg eating heartily. He decided to catch up with them.

"Hey, Dork," greeted a grinning passer-by. Robin, puzzled and a little tweaked, glanced at the man moving on.

Before he could dismiss the moment there came a "How's it going, Dork?" from another stranger. A few others called out the same name at his expense while others could not help but laugh when they caught sight of him. He finally entered the pavilion and walked up to Cyborg and Raven.

* * *

Despite being into her book Raven just happened to glance up from it and caught sight of someone approaching. She recognized Robin.

"Oh, no," she said, beginning to find it impossible to suppress a smile. She tried clenching her mouth closed and covering it with a free hand. So Cyborg would not see she even raised her book and tried getting back to her reading.

Cyborg noticed Raven's position. He swallowed his current mouthful of submarine sandwich before asking, "What up, Rachel?" When she did not acknowledge him he looked around… and was thankful he had not taken another bite of his sandwich, else he might be choking right now for breaking into hysterics upon seeing his leader.

"Guys?" said Robin when he neared them. He did not understand what had Cyborg laughing and noticed Raven seemed to be covering up something she must have found funny enough to make her smile. "I don't know why, but would you believe a bunch of people, strangers, have all started insulting and laughing at me?"

"Well, well," said Raven, who actually managed a short chuckle, "that's unfortunate."

"I'll say it is," added a grinning Cyborg who pointed at Robin's chest and said, "Dork!" as he burst out in laughter again.

Robin looked down at his chest and, to his horror, saw the pale word 'DORK' etched in his tan.

Even without evidence his detective mind was quick to figure out the culprit. In his anger he forgot formalities and cried out, "BEAST BOY!"

He angrily looked around for the shape-shifter, ignoring his friends who were urgently reminding him about not using any hero names.

Said shape-shifter suddenly appeared from behind Cyborg, grinning broadly. "What's up, Dork?"

Robin whipped around then lunged for the fiend, who leapt away from Cyborg and ran off, Robin in pursuit.

Beast Boy kept on running, laughing while he called out, "What's the matter, Dork? Can't take a joke, Dork?"

He had no idea what punishment Robin would have in store for him after they return to duty in Jump City, but Beast Boy knew this prank was worth it.

* * *

Marking her page and closing her book, she then said to Cyborg, "Please tell me you took pictures."

Giving her a thumbs-up and nodding, he said, "Oh yeah, I got pictures – before and after." Cyborg picked up his soda and held it in the air before Raven. "A toast. To B. A dead man who just made our vacation."

Raven picked up her bottle of water and happily tapped it against her teammate's drink.

* * *

A/N: The 'Dork' portion of this one-shot was inspired by a beach scene in _Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach_.


	3. Mongoose

Mongoose

The titans responded to another break-in and theft attempt being committed by HIVE members Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo. This time it was a vault containing various precious stones and metals. It was the third raid in one week.

In the midst of the battle Cyborg complained, "Man, this is seriously getting old," while firing his sonic cannon in Gizmo's direction.

While dodging an incoming attack from Mammoth Robin surmised, "The HIVE's new leader must be up to something."

"And wouldn't you like to know?" mocked Jinx before attempting to take a shot at him.

Beating her to the punch, Starfire hit Jinx with a star bolt before declaring, "Yes we would!"

The last move was delivered by Raven, dropping Jinx with Gizmo and Mammoth before Gizmo opted for retreat. Together the three escaped. Cyborg was determined to go after them before Robin stopped him.

"Don't worry, Cyborg," he said, pulling out his communicator. "We'll see them again, sooner than they think." On the device's display was a moving blip, indicating he had slipped a tracking device on one of the fleeing HIVE members.

"Very sneaky, Robin," commended Beast Boy.

By the time the titans returned to the tower and Robin brought up the monitor to locate the thieves, the blip had stopped in a location exposing a readout the titans suspected to be the HIVE Academy.

"Well, we have a location," said Raven. "What're we waiting for?"

"We need to find out what the HIVE is planning beforehand," said Robin. "Otherwise we may walk right into a trap."

Beast Boy became eager. "Does this mean undercover mission? Lucky for you guys, I happen to be a master of disguise." He took on various forms of animals to demonstrate, including that of a mongoose.

"Yeah, a green mongoose is gonna blend right in," said Raven sarcastically.

She did not catch Cyborg suddenly whipping his head her way with a look that became uneasy. She did, however, feel a sharp sense of self-loathing and guilt from the critter that was presently Beast Boy, so intense it made her instantly regret what she said. Before she could apologize, the green shape-shifter immediately returned to human form, tears in his eyes and a look of outrage.

"DON'T YOU _EVER_ MOCK THE MONGOOSE AGAIN!" he roared. "EVER!" Off he ran, leaving the Common Room.

Until that moment, Raven could honestly say she had never been afraid of anyone but herself or Trigon. But before he ran, by the additional negative emotions she felt, she feared Beast Boy might truly come at her, savagely and in a blind rage.

Of the four of them she looked on at the direction he ran, ashamed. Robin and Starfire were stunned and baffled. Cyborg looked from where the fleeing shape-shifter was last seen to Raven.

"What happened?" asked Robin.

"Raven mocked the mongoose, that's what," answered Cyborg, sympathy for his green friend.

"But Raven has often spoken the sarcastic words to Beast Boy," noted Starfire, "and he would every time ignore them. What was different about this occasion?"

"The mongoose was Beast Boy's very first transformation. He turned into it to save his mother - his birth mother - from a poisonous snake."

"Oh," was the only next word from Starfire.

"I never knew that," said Robin. "He told you, Cyborg?"

"He did."

Learning of that bit of history, Raven felt even more awful. She upset her friend, and at the same time offended the memory of his mother, possibly both parents, whatever had become of them. She wanted to shrivel up and disappear.

Instead, she moved ahead of the others, teleporting to the door to Beast Boy's room where she could hear him crying, mournfully. She never heard him cry in any way before.

Raven began to wonder, what else did she not know about him, his pains and adventures before the Doom Patrol? If she apologized, would he open up and share his history with her? Would he if _she_ shared _hers_? That question suddenly troubled her. How would he react, what would he think of her if he knew about her what no one on Earth did, short of her father's cult?

Still, an apology was owed. Raven knocked. He did not acknowledge her, only continued crying. She knocked again and still went unanswered.

Determined to see him and speak face to face with him, Raven dissolved into her shadowy bird form and moved forward. The shadow reached the door… and could go no further. A second attempt brought only the same result and so it moved to the walls around the door. It ventured through the floor, the ceiling, and the other walls all about the perimeter of Beast Boy's room, including outside the tower where the shades were drawn to bar the means of seeing the inside of his room. Raven determined that Beast Boy had somehow found and successfully used enchantments to keep her out.

Teleporting back inside and before the door to his room, Raven found her friends there trying to persuade him to come out.

"He's blocked me," she said to them. "I can't even get through the walls."

"Perhaps we should leave Beast Boy to his mourning," suggested Starfire.

"But I really want to apologize," Raven insisted. Then to Cyborg she said, "Can you get around his password?"

"No," said Cyborg. "He opted for voice recognition rather than any form of electronic lock. And the reason he opted for that is because he doesn't use a passphrase in any human language, his password is some form of animal-speak."

"And you don't know the pattern?"

"I don't even know the animal," Cyborg replied.

By this time they could all hear that it had quieted down in Beast Boy's room, that maybe he had finally stopped crying. Raven attempted one more knock.

Dropping her monotone, she spoke now with absolute sincerity. "Beast Boy, please. Please let me in. I really want to tell you I'm sorry and I…" She paused, and then came to a decision while looking between her friends. "Because I know this much about you now, I… I want to tell you _my_ story."

Hopeful that was enough to get him to see and speak to her, she waited. Nearly five minutes passed before the door opened. Raven and the others could see from his eyes just how much sorrow he unleashed in these last several minutes.

Not a word was spoken by anyone for a few minutes until Beast Boy finally said, "Come in." He stepped aside to welcome her then closed the door.

Starfire, deciding leading them away, said to Robin and Cyborg, "What is said between them does not leave his room."

Inside Beast Boy's room, Raven found a seat. He lied down on his bed, the bottom bunk. First she apologized, speaking in the same sincere tone as she had just minutes ago. Even though she saw them, Raven chose not to interrogate him about how he had found the enchantments that barred her from his room. And as she said, she even told him her history, with no intention of making this a contest about which of them had the worst past: about Trigon, what she is prophesied to do, and far more about herself than she had when she and Starfire once switched bodies after the Puppet King invaded.

For the offense against him and the memory of his mother, Beast Boy did forgive her. He told her his history as well. And the only reaction he responded with in regards to her life and her destiny was a hug and comforting words.

* * *

The titans decided to send Cyborg in to discover the HIVE's scheme. Because of a holographic generator he had designed for himself, and a decoy version of his current state that would remain with the titans, he could go in disguised. They succeeded in discovering that plan and stopping it before any danger came to Cyborg after learning that the new leader, Headmaster Brother Blood, had discovered his true identity.

Once the titans had Cyborg back, there was but one thing remaining.

There was a knock at his room door after which he heard Beast Boy's singsong voice. "Oh, Cyboooorg."

The tin man opened his door and there stood with a wide-grinning Beast Boy the rest of the team.

"You left the titans," noted Robin.

"That means you have to be initiated all over again," said Raven, smiling. She, Robin, and Beast Boy each pulled out a prop before dragging him away.


	4. April Fool

April Fool

"Either Raven will laugh, or for me it will be the torture of a lifetime." Regardless of the outcome, the prank was too good a one to pass up, Beast Boy decided.

A week before April Fool's Day Beast Boy was struck by the best idea for a gag to date, one more complex than a rubber band and an oil-filled balloon. After acquiring the needed parts he set to work assembling it. GOD or even Fate must have found some amusement in the idea of his prank because peaceful days came along. There was not a moment of out-of-control crime needing the titans' aid, and Beast Boy was thankful for that. Still there was patrol and that did not much hinder his progress. He finished it before April 1st arrived.

The morning of the day he awoke, ready to plant the device. With it he went to Raven's room. His keen hearing told him she was still inside, meditating. He placed it, gift-wrapped and with a bow for that matter, on the floor in front of her door and knocked. Once he heard her stop and her footsteps he skedaddled to a nearby corner, ducked behind it, and waited.

Raven's door opened, only a fraction as usual. Since he was as out of sight as he wanted to make himself and no one else was at her door, Beast Boy knew she would not hold back opening her door all the way, at least to search the hallway for whoever knocked. He ducked for a few seconds before taking a careful peek to be sure she did not see him and to see what she was doing. She had discovered the gag beneath her. Raven picked it up, holding it right where he was counting on. She did not open it immediately, instead looked it over, likely searching for some label indicating who it was from. Then she tore away the bow and wrapping paper.

It was a wooden box, with designs and a finish that Raven determined could only mean it was a jewelry box. For a moment she wondered which of her friends left it to her. Then she opened the box wanting to see its inside, only to have an open-palmed hand spring out, like a Jack-in-the-Box, and make contact with her bust.

At the same instant surprise registered on her face she heard two words: "APRIL FOOL!" followed by uproarious laughter.

Raven turned his way. Through Happy she might have found humor in the prank, but, instead offended, that emotion was overruled by Timid (He's mean), Rude (_He's a jerk!_), and Rage (_**He's. Dead. Meat.**_). Her two violet eyes parted ways to four red ones.

His laughter continued a bit longer until nature kicked in and made him slow to a halt. Beast Boy's animal instincts were signaling danger. Wiping his tears away and trying to recover his breath, he realized Raven was far from amused. She looked livid and ready to kill.

In an attempt to reason with her he fearfully said, "Now Raven… It was just a prank… nothing personal. It's April Fool's Day… a day for pranks."

She heard him not, instead slowly advanced towards him while he started backing away.

"Seriously. This was a good one…" he tried defending, "too good to pass up."

Still she drew closer, saying not a word, her chaotic powers devastating the corridor.

_Run,_ his instincts now told him.

And so he did, high-tailing it to the safety of…

In the Common Room there were Cyborg, reading the latest tech magazine, and Robin teaching Starfire how to play chess. When each heard one of the doors swish open they looked to see Beast Boy charging in, obviously fleeing. He took refuge behind the sofa where Cyborg has been sitting. Suspecting Raven was not too far behind they all looked back at the door as in she walked. From her expression and the start of the Common Room's damage, they knew this was bad.

"Help me, guys, she's seriously lost it this time," Beast Boy pleaded.

"Raven-"

"_Not a word, Robin_," ordered the other-worldly sounding voice. "_My quarrel is with Beast Boy only._"

"Please, Raven, whatever Beast Boy has done-"

"_Silence, Starfire!_"

Raven raised a hand out towards Beast Boy and surrounded him with her dark energy. Ignoring his pleas and his sudden apologies she levitated him closer to her. Once he was within proximity to her a vortex beneath them open and swallowed them.

* * *

In a nightmarish domain a vortex appeared, drawing the attention of inhuman fiends all around. Of the two individuals to appear they recognized one. One of them stepped forward.

"Greetings, Mistress Raven. To what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

Their lord's daughter indicated the green youth with her. "_Him._"

"And what would you have us do with him?"

"_Punish him. That is all._"

"Raven, please!" cried Beast Boy. She ignored him and vanished. "Wait!"

Now alone with scores of otherworldly beings around him, he fearfully looked about at them. Slowly raising a hand in greeting he let out a fragile "Hi" to them.

* * *

"Raven, have you lost your mind?" Robin criticized after she returned alone and they learned of what she had done, leaving Beast Boy with Trigon, and why she did it.

Once back her powers had leveled off and destruction had ceased, but Raven had not yet fully come to center to return to her more customary appearance.

"Raven if anything happens to him-" Robin began to warn before she stopped him with a challenging glare.

"_You'll what?_"

Getting nothing more from him she walked off and returned to her room. There she relaxed and went into a meditative state. Not long after her demon eyes faded and she was herself again. But her actions from before were not forgotten. Suddenly she was worried.

"What have I done?" She made to open a portal to return to her father's realm, hopeful she would not be too late to rescue Beast Boy… and actually apologize for her extreme retaliation.

* * *

Returning to Trigon's domain she found, to her disbelief, Beast Boy with the demons… reveling.

He sat with them, side-by-side, a chain of arms draped over shoulders. They were singing, swaying side to side.

**Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, that's how it goes**  
**Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, everyone knows**  
**What is the cause of his red shiny nose?**  
**Could it be oom pah pah?**

**Pretty little Sally goes walking down the alley**  
**Displays her pretty ankles to all of the men**  
**They could see her garters, but not for free and gratis**  
**An inch or two and then she knows when to say when**  
**Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, that's how it goes**  
**Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, everyone knows**  
**Whether it's hidden or whether it shows**  
**It's the same oom pah pah!**

_*(From Oliver Twist)_

For the first time since Raven arrived, the company before her finally realized her presence. Beast Boy was the first to greet her.

"Hey, Rae, how's it going?" He was actually cheerful. "These guys are a great bunch, by the way!"

One of the demons spoke up. "Mistress Raven, thank you so much for bringing him to us! He is a hoot!" Others joined him in concurrence.

The whole scene made no sense to her. It escaped her how her father's minions could actually take so well to Beast Boy. It actually angered her, enough so her Rage resurfaced and her demonic form was back.

The minions paid her no mind.

"Hey, who's for another round of… limbo?"

Of course Beast Boy would insinuate such a joke. What twisted Raven even further was she knew the limbo is an Earth activity. And the minions cheered the idea. Off they wandered, following Beast Boy and singing, "Da, da, da, da-da, da-da! Da, da, da, da-da, da-da…"

Raven's attention on them was drawn to the thunderous footsteps of her approaching father, the colossal Trigon the Terrible. The departing company of Beast Boy and demons was oblivious to his arrival as they commenced their game.

Raven looked up at her father. "_This cannot be, Father!_"

"I agree," answered Trigon, suddenly minimizing himself to a height of over six feet tall.

"_You must do something about this!_"

"Of course, Daughter." To his demon hoard and Beast Boy he roared, "Stop!"

The cry of the demon lord heard, they all obeyed and waited for him to say something further or do something.

"I cannot allow this to continue… without me. Wait up."

Off he went, to her disbelief, and she watched as he joined in the amusement. The enraged form of Raven cried out in disgust. Never had she imagined her green friend getting her this good, to the point he had somehow charmed and befriended demons of the worst nature, above all her own father. For the first time ever, Beast Boy really pulled one over on her, making her the April Fool of the team.

"_One day, though, Beast Boy, watch out_. _I'll get even with you_."

In her head, the voice of Wisdom spoke up. "_Well, since you are here… if you can't beat them, join them._" The idea was seconded by Happy.

Rage simmered down and Raven's purple eyes returned. Off Raven went, singing as her father's minions had. "Da, da, da, da-da, da-da! Da, da, da, da-da, da-da. Da, da, da, da-da, da-da! Da, da, da-da, da-da!"


	5. Legion

Legion

Life on Earth had ceased for all but four heroes and one enormous demon. Flesh had turned to stone as Trigon had once declared it would. The sky was red and the ground scorched; seas and lakes replaced with pools of lava. Structures were in ruins, even Titans Tower, home and headquarters to the four.

When Raven could no longer hold back the dark energy welling up within her she reluctantly opened the portal she was born to create and, at Trigon's appearance in Jump City, and his declaration that the Earth was his, she vanished without a sign of life. The demon Trigon unleashed a long contained build of evil energy that spread around the world in a matter of minutes, petrifying the living and collapsing the sturdiest of structures.

Thankfully, before she opened the portal Raven cast on her friends a protection spell, sparing them from the flesh-to-stone curse. Once they found each other among the devastation and made a decision to fight, for a time it was four diminutive titans versus the towering Trigon, until he let out another burst of energy that, for a short time, incapacitated them. Then three were left to contend with Trigon, for there had been a shared feeling among them that, somewhere, somehow, Raven still existed. Robin volunteered to go and find her, leaving Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy to battle and distract Trigon until their leader returned with their friend.

For a time, the three held their own quite well against their enemy. But Trigon, growing impatient with their persistence, struck a powerful blow against them. Cyborg had suffered a significant loss of energy from his power cell, Starfire was bruised. The two of them did not see Beast Boy anywhere. If he was somewhere out of commission, they hoped he was not destroyed. Yet they could not spare time to find him. Trigon was still active, growing stronger, and Robin had yet to return. They resumed fighting the demon.

* * *

Beast Boy admitted, that was quite a wallop Trigon struck him with. It tossed him quite a ways away from the conflict. Had he been less than what he truly was, no doubt Trigon's attack would have obliterated him. But he was more, much more than anyone knew. That was why he had to appear as though he had taken the attack like he often did, which tended put him out of the fight first. He was at this moment masking his life force and had been since his crash landing. That was why no one saw him, nor could they sense him.

Beast Boy, or rather that which he truly was, had once hoped no one would ever know, but now Trigon was here and things have gone too far. Further, Robin was not back yet with Raven. Had they been back, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that Raven would be able to overpower Trigon, her father, and Beast Boy could go on being Beast Boy and never have to reveal his real self.

Now Starfire was down, followed by Cyborg. She took an attack dealt by Trigon meant to finish Cyborg. They were down, but it appeared to Beast Boy that to Trigon it was not enough, so he made to do one of the most awful things that could be done to any living thing – crush them by stepping on them.

Beast Boy called out, "_TRIGON_," only in a voice that was thunderous, inhuman.

For a moment Trigon froze in his intent to crush the two remaining titans. Rather than following through, he set his foot back down on the ground, leaving them further unharmed. He turned, feeling compelled, as though commanded to do so. He looked, and from a height of rock that had broken through the ground after his release of power when he first appeared, there stood the shape-shifter. About him, both on the ground and in the air, further than he could see, were countless animals of many species – plant eaters and predators; rodents, rabbits, lions, tigers, bears, and countless more, including sorts not even native to the planet Earth.

"_I will allow you to do no more, Trigon. I would leave it to your daughter to do away with you, but she is not yet returned._" Glancing from right to left at the animals beside him he said, even as though he were speaking to those behind him and far out of his sight, "_All of you, change shape._" His voice never raised, but they all obeyed him.

Trigon saw new creatures of hellish shape. They were in forms he recognized as demonic, but he did not know a single one of them.

"_Who are you, green one?_" demanded Trigon.

"_We are much older and far more powerful than you, Trigon. It is time to be done with you._" To the horde he said, "_Take him._"

Several obeyed. Swiftly they closed in on Trigon and restrained him, and no amount of struggling by him could break their hold. As power in the form of pale green light went out from them, Trigon cried out, "_You cannot do this to me!_"

"_Be silent, Trigon, and be gone,_" responded Beast Boy as the light enshrouded the red demon then vanished with him. Moments later, the several demons that removed Trigon from Earth returned.

"Beast Boy?" came an awestruck and baffled voice.

The green shape-shifter and his horde simultaneously turned, seeing Robin supporting Raven, whose uniform was now white, both stunned having seen what they just witnessed. Instead of responding to them he first said to the horde, "_Come to me_," and quickly they did, all shrinking into small forms of pale green light and vanishing into their host.

"Sorry about that, Raven," Beast Boy then said in his human voice before he leapt down from the rock he stood on. "I would have left Trigon for you to finish off because I know you have the power within you to banish him from here, but he was about to crush Cyborg and Starfire. I wasn't going to let that happen so I dealt with him. Robin, you sure took a long time getting back here with her."

"Uh, Beast Boy…" said a still baffled Robin. "We had just gotten back as you set those things against Trigon. And… since when can you do that?"

"I'll explain later. First, Raven, restore the planet and undo Trigon's curse. Then let's help Cyborg and Starfire."

"Uh… Okay." Robin let her go and she set to doing her magic, only her powers now came out white instead of black. And they were more powerful than before. In nearly the same amount of time that Trigon's curse covered the Earth, Raven's spell-casting undid it. The sky became blue and beautiful and sunny; the land and structures appeared as they did before the curse, the sea full of water – not a trace of scorching or lava. Flesh was no longer stone. Birds chirped and dogs barked. Earth was again alive. All life moved along as though nothing had ever been out of the ordinary.

Next to be done was revive and heal Cyborg and Starfire, which Raven set about doing. When they inspected Cyborg the saw he had no more than fifteen minutes of power remaining and felt relieved. He would have drained it much faster and been dead shortly after from power loss had he been conscious and kept fighting. Cyborg and Starfire wondered how Trigon had been beaten and were stunned to hear that it was Beast Boy who had done it, more so when they learned how he did it.

When they all began pressing him for an explanation, he said, "Let's head back to the tower first."

And so they returned to Titans Tower.

* * *

After taking some time to freshen up and rest, they assembled in the tower's common room, which serves as their entertainment room and command center. Robin, Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire were seated on the curved couch that faces their entertainment center and central computer. Between these stood Beast Boy.

"So what's the deal, B?" wondered Cyborg, whose power cell was new and fully charged.

"I guess to begin with… my birth name, the one you know me by, is not Garfield Logan. Garfield Logan never existed. True, Mark and Marie Logan did exist," he added in response to their perplexed looks, "but they never had a son. They were, in fact, childless. And Beast Boy is a name made up by my foster father, Steve Dayton. That is, Mento. He and Rita knew the Logans, and about their scientific research and their unfortunate boating accident, and used that to build me a biography after I was found by and brought into the Doom Patrol."

"Then who are you really?" wondered Robin. His was genuine curiosity. He felt no need to be suspicious or defensive towards Beast Boy, considering his friend's history of heroism.

"Further – but not to offend," Raven insisted. "After what we saw you do, um… what are you?"

Beast Boy stood silent and thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "I believe this next part will answer both." He went to a control panel and typed in a command to call up a chair from beneath the floor. It came up and was turned to face the couch. Beast Boy sat down and reclined in the chair. "Earth. Israel. Nearly two thousand years ago I came and took possession of a man. Through him I sought out and found a certain Rabbi, intending to call him out and identify him as the Savior of the world."

He paused when he noticed how beyond astonished three of his four friends looked, who also at different levels of voice exclaimed, "No way!" Only Starfire remained silent and puzzled by their reactions.

"Are you telling us, Beast Boy, that you're actually… him… them?"

Beast Boy nodded. And in the tone of otherworldly voice he spoke with when battling Trigon, he answered, "_I am, Raven. Or rather, __**we**__ are_."

"_You're_ _Legion_?!" exclaimed Cyborg.

"_You have nothing to fear from us, Cyborg_," he said in response to his best friend's sudden shift from his former reaction. "_We are not like that anymore and have not been since that day. And to make referring to us easier, we will speak with 'I' or 'me.'_"

"If you are not the Beast Boy that we know, then who is this Legion?" wondered Starfire, still puzzled since no one was explaining.

"One of the most ancient and powerful demons in existence, Starfire," answered Raven. She rose from her place on the sofa only to kneel before Legion and bow her head in reverence to her superior, to the confusion of the other three who sat with her.

"Please don't do that, Raven," insisted the shape-shifter in the voice the titans knew as Beast Boy's. She did not budge. "Okay, Raven, if it's a command you want then here goes: stand up and never kneel before me again."

This time Raven listened and did as told.

"I'm not here to conquer, command, or be worshipped." Beast Boy gestured for her to return to her seat, which she did. "I'm reforming. Well, trying to, at least."

"What do you mean, Bea- I mean Legion?"

"It's okay to keep calling me Beast Boy, Robin. I much prefer it anyway. It's who I've been and choose to be now." Beast Boy leaned forward a little in his seat. "It began that day I called out the Savior of mankind. I had no idea just how truly powerful he could be until he silenced me, kept me from identifying him to the masses. I felt commanded to obey. In the body I possessed I fell to my knees, afraid of what he might do to me, and to the man I asked what he would do to me. He cast me out of the man and into the sea.

"I was in the sea for a long time. In all my time there I felt as though I was imprisoned. When one spends much time in solitude, I guess he must lose knowledge of himself, as that happened to me. To us," he corrected while making a couple of taps on his chest in indication of all the others within him. "We all shared the same loss of memory.

"Over time we formed a body. This one. One day, after centuries as you measure it, I wandered out of the sea and into the world. I had forgotten what it was like and spent the centuries since rediscovering the world, only I did not rediscover who I was. Then I crossed paths with the Doom Patrol. It was by Mento that I was able to remember. You can be sure he and the others were terrified of me. I gave no thought to what madness he might succumb to by looking into my mind, and to the surprise of the Doom Patrol, Mento especially, he didn't. Still, I spent so many years doing deeds completely opposite my former ways, I could not go back to them. I felt no desire to.

"Mento periodically checked my mind to see if there was any indication I would slip back into my formerly evil nature, and in time came to accept that I had no intention of doing so. He welcomed me fully into the Doom Patrol, made up a biography for me, and he and Elasti-girl adopted me as their son. Eventually, I found you guys and was only too glad to stay."

"But what's the purpose?" asked Robin. "What are you trying to accomplish?"

"And," added Raven, "why the behavior? Why act like a fool when you have ages of knowledge and so much power?"

"The answer is easy, Raven. Because it's fun. It makes me laugh, even though others don't. It's also better than dwelling on the way I used to be.

"As to the purpose of it all, Robin: atonement. I realize it may take eternity to make up for eons of evil, but I'd like to find out if it's possible. When I faced the Word Made Flesh, he merely cast me out of that man. He did not throw me back into what you term 'the pit.' Maybe he saw in me a chance that I might reform. I've been working on that ever since I left the sea."

"So then, what's next?" asked Cyborg. "What do you intend to do now that we know?"

"I ask you to keep my secret. The Doom Patrol has, so I'd like to believe you'll do the same. My real identity stays with you and you take it to the grave. Would you do that?"

"It'll take a long time to get used to knowing," answered Robin. "You realize we'll never look at you the same."

"But can you keep my secret?"

"We all have secrets we're keeping, Beast Boy. Knowing yours definitely outclasses ours, though."

"We can keep your secret," assured Raven. Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire agreed and promised they would.

Legion thanked them. He kept to himself the realization that they may be wary of him for a long time, but did not hold that against them.

The tower intruder alert sounded off. A probe appeared with a message to Beast Boy from Mento stating that the Doom Patrol is in trouble. Following the message they headed out at Robin's order.


End file.
